Three projects involving teams from the University of Liège have just been approved under the 5th call for proposals of the Interreg VI Meuse-Rhine program. Among these, the IMPRESS project, coordinated by ULiège, aims to reduce adverse events in hospitals by deploying, on a large scale, practical tools designed to improve patient safety.These projects will receive financial support for their implementation.
The Interreg Meuse-Rhine (IMR) program , co-financed by the European Union and Wallonia, aims to strengthen cross-border cooperation between the border regions of Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. More specifically, it covers five regions: the Provinces of Limburg in Belgium and the Netherlands, the Province of Liège (BE), North Rhine-Westphalia (DE), and Rhineland-Palatinate (DE). For the 2021–2027 period, a budget of 176 million euros has been allocated to cross-border projects, of which 125 million euros are funded by the European Union. This program addresses five major societal challenges: industrial transition, green transformation, health, tourism, and cooperation.
The IMPRESS (Implementation of Patient Safety Strategies) project is coordinated at ULiège by Méryl PAQUAY (Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences). In addition to the University of Liège, 6 partners are involved: University Hospital of Liège, Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Maastricht Universitair Medisch Centrum +, Universiteit Hasselt, Klinik St. Josef St. Vith, Groupe santé CHC.
IMPRESS addresses a major public health challenge in the Meuse-Rhine region: patient safety. Even today, a significant proportion of patients report having experienced adverse events during hospitalization, which are often insufficiently addressed or reported. In this context, IMPRESS aims to develop, test, and deploy an innovative toolkit to facilitate the implementation of three proven methods in healthcare safety: incident reporting, simulation, and clinical debriefings.
One of the project’s key innovations lies in its co-designed approach with patients, who are involved as true partners in decision-making processes. This close collaboration with healthcare professionals will ensure the relevance, acceptability, and sustainability of the proposed solutions.
The project includes a pilot phase in at least ten hospitals in the Meuse-Rhine region, covering various types of care (acute, long-term, and rehabilitation). In total, 300 healthcare professionals and 1,500 patients will be directly involved.
Beyond the development of practical tools (checklists, recommendations, training), IMPRESS aims to bring about lasting change in practices by strengthening the sense of safety, the resilience of healthcare teams, and cross-border cooperation. Results will be evaluated using concrete indicators such as patient experience, length of stay, the frequency and duration of use of the toolkit or the perception of safety.
The consortium brings together complementary academic and hospital partners in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, with the support of an advisory committee comprising representatives of patients, insurers, and policymakers, to ensure widespread dissemination of the results across the region. The project is also supported by PAQS, the European Patient Safety Foundation (EUPSF), Solidaris, and the WHO.
The LivLabPRoFruit, coordinated by Pcfruit, aims to strengthen innovation in the fruit sector, a sector currently facing numerous economic and environmental challenges. By establishing a cross-border living lab, the project will foster collaboration between agrotechnology companies and producers to develop and test precision and robotic fruit-growing solutions. The goal is twofold: to improve the effectiveness of the technologies developed and to accelerate their adoption in the field, particularly for labor-intensive crops such as pears, blueberries, and grapes.
The REAL, coordinated by PXL, supports manufacturing SMEs in their transition to Industry 5.0, a model that combines advanced technologies, sustainability, and a human-centered approach. REAL will develop practical tools (toolkits) and a strategic support framework (REAL Compass) to help SMEs gradually integrate these new practices. The project plans to test these solutions with 16 SMEs before a broader rollout to 60 additional companies in the Meuse-Rhine region.
With these three new projects, the University of Liège reaffirms its commitment to the Interreg Meuse-Rhine program and its active contribution to the development of a smarter, more sustainable, and more inclusive region. By fostering collaboration among academic, economic, and institutional stakeholders across borders, these initiatives play a key role in implementing innovative solutions that address major contemporary challenges.
Learn more about Interreg Meuse-Rhine
SEE ALL IMR PROJECTS FUNDED AT ULiège
Learn more about these projects and other research initiatives at ULiège
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